Today, I threw on my Rock On! Lake Perry Trail Run shirt - the shirt that represents the hardest race I have taken on to date. After I did, I paused and looked at myself in the mirror and I wondered what people thought when they saw me in this shirt, with its three different distances written around the bottom of the logo.
Did they assume I ran the 5k? The half? The 50k?
Did they assume I really sucked at it or that I did really well?
Then, I got super annoyed with myself because the honest answer is mostly like that no one cares, that anyone would half glance at it, see 'trail run' and move on with their life, without a second thought. Or really, with any thought on it hardly registering at all.
I often wish I didn't care so much about what other people thought about me. I mean, I'm growing my hair out because guys in general just don't like girls with short hair. That and I don't think I'll ever find anyone who can just magically cut my hair to be short and awesome like Chelsea did at Chop Tops Westport. Free PSA: Kansas City people, totally go see Chelsea at Chop Tops. She's awesome. And hilarious. I miss her already.
Ok, ok I'm also growing out my hair because my own self-confidence depends on that little extra bit of feminine definition that comes with longer locks. I wish it didn't, but it does. I have no regrets on chopping it off, though. I do love my hair ... I just want it to be about 3 inches longer, that's all.
How did I get from running to my hair?
Oh well. The point is, I need to stop caring so much about how everyone else perceives my running and my hair. As long as they see me as a kind and genuine person, what else matters? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
I would not assume anything, but would very much wonder which race you ran and how well you did. I would also be impressed that you are a runner. I would also try to mention it and get you to laugh and then go for a run/have dinner/drinks with me because you are a kind and genuine person regardless of how short your hair is - it can always grow if you want it to. (All this assuming that I am 20 years younger, not married and still living in Denver (drat! 0-for-3).)
ReplyDeleteOh Dave, you're so sweet.
DeleteWe're all like that.
ReplyDeleteFor what it's worth, I married a woman with short hair. My first girlfriend cut her long blonde hair short, and I fell that much harder for her. And I was one of the few people who thought Keri Russell looked awesome when she cut her hair on "Felicity." But I realize that I'm in the minority--and also not the best person to give advice, since I recently shaved my beard in order to look younger. Mostly I wish you the self-esteem you deserve, since that's the most attractive feature you can have.
ReplyDelete